If a middle or high schooler brings a firearm to a Huntsville school campus, they immediately face expulsion.

"We can determine to expel an elementary student, but that's in an extreme situation," Ferrell said.

Ferrell said the school's program of "see something, say something" has made an impact in the classroom. In this case, because a student spoke up, they were able to get the weapon off the school's campus.

Ferrell said the senior with the gun was a transfer student from another state. She said the school system needs to come up with a better system to get student records more quickly.